11 Things Nobody Tells You About Menstrual Cups — Backed by Science, History & Rare Data
11 Things Nobody Tells You About Menstrual Cups — Backed by Science, History & Rare Data
Published by Tessa | June 2026 | Sustainable Living & Period Care
Most conversations about menstrual cups stop at "it's reusable" and "it saves money." But there is a far deeper, more fascinating story behind this small silicone cup — one that involves suppressed Victorian patents, World War II rubber shortages, MRI scans of the human cervix, and a growing body of medical evidence that is quietly rewriting what we know about period health.
If you've ever been curious about what your period product is actually doing inside your body — and what the science says about it — this one is for you.
1. The Menstrual Cup Is Older Than the Tampon — By Over 60 Years
Here is a fact that most people find genuinely shocking.
The first menstrual cup concept was patented in 1867 — predating the first commercial tampons by more than half a century. In the United States, early menstrual cup prototypes known as "catamenial sacks" were patented in the 1860s and 1870s. These early designs were inserted into the vagina and attached to a belt. Popular ScienceLunette
The device that most of us think of as a "modern invention" is, in truth, a Victorian-era idea that simply never got its moment — until now.
2. It Was Invented by an Actress, Not a Doctor
The first modern menstrual cups, similar to the cups we know today, were invented in 1937 by American actress Leona Chalmers. She patented a design made from latex rubber. Her patent application stated that the design would not cause "uncomfortableness or consciousness of its presence" and allowed women to wear "thin, light, close fitting clothing" without belts, pins, or buckles that could show. Lunette UK
An actress. Not a gynaecologist. Not a pharmaceutical company. A woman who simply wanted a better solution — and designed one herself.
During World War II, a shortage of latex rubber occurred and the company was forced to stop production. After the war, in the early 1950s, Mrs. Chalmers made some improvements and patented a new design. Lunette UK
The cup was silenced not by science, but by wartime material rationing. This is a thread of history nobody talks about.
3. Your Period Produces Far Less Blood Than You Think
One of the most persistent myths around menstruation is the volume of blood lost. Most people, surrounded by soaked pads and dramatic advertisements, assume they're losing enormous quantities.
The reality? The average person loses only 30–60 ml of menstrual fluid per cycle — roughly two to four tablespoons. Even those with heavy flow rarely exceed 80 ml per cycle.
Here is why this matters: a standard menstrual cup holds 20–30 ml. That means, for many people, a single cup holds the equivalent of an entire day's worth of flow. And yet, disposable pad advertisements are built on the anxiety that there is always more to absorb.
Research has noted considerable variability in the volume capacity of menstrual products, and that the best method to measure actual menstrual flow is a menstrual cup or disc, as they offer the most capacity and were found to be the best indicator of true flow volume. PubMed Central
The cup doesn't just collect your period. It actually helps you measure it — something no pad or tampon has ever been able to do.
4. Science Confirms: The Cup May Actively Protect Your Vaginal Microbiome
This is the piece of science that most period care brands don't want you to know, because it fundamentally changes the health conversation.
Several physiological mechanisms maintain the health of the vagina, including the composition and diversity of the vaginal microbiome. Lactic acid bacteria that predominate in the vagina of reproductive-age women metabolize extracellular glycogen into lactic acid — thereby lowering vaginal pH to create an inhospitable environment for many pathogenic bacterial and viral species. Frontiers
Now here's the problem: when blood — which has a higher, more alkaline pH — sits in contact with vaginal walls (as it does in a pad or tampon), it disrupts this delicate acidic environment.
The vaginal pH increases during menses, due to decreases in acidifying Lactobacilli during menses and also because blood pH is typically around 7. Because blood is collected inside the menstrual cup, there is limited blood flow in the vaginal vault. PLOS
In plain terms: because a cup collects blood away from vaginal walls rather than pressing it against them, it may actually help preserve the natural microbial balance that keeps you healthy.
A systematic review found that menstrual cups reduced the risk of STIs in Kenya. For bacterial vaginosis, the association was consistent with a protective effect and supportive for a healthy vaginal microbiome composition in studies from different geographies. These data strengthen evidence on the value of menstrual cups as a global multipurpose menstrual product solution. ScienceDirect
5. MRI Scans Revealed Something Unexpected About Where the Cup Actually Sits
For years, manufacturers depicted the menstrual cup as sitting in the lower vaginal canal, well below the cervix. It turns out, the anatomy is more interesting than the brochure.
MRI imaging suggests that, contrary to some manufacturer's depictions, the bell-shaped cups are placed over the cervix — in a position similar to a cervical cap. Ring-shaped cups, called "cervical cups," also cover the cervix, but have one edge next to the cervix and the other located further down the vagina, so that the cup is nearly parallel to the long axis of the vagina. Wikipedia
This means the cup essentially cradles the cervix — the source of menstrual flow — which is precisely why it works so effectively and why leakage is often less than with disposables, not more.
6. In India, Only 0.3% of Menstruating Women Currently Use a Cup
This statistic is simultaneously shocking and full of potential.
In India, 64.4% of women aged 15–24 use sanitary napkins, 49.6% use cloth, 15% use locally prepared napkins, and only 0.3% use menstrual cups. Jsafog
That 0.3% is not a sign of failure. It is a sign of how early we are — and how large the opportunity for change truly is.
The awareness gap is real. But so is the momentum. Conversations like this one, products like Tessa, and shifting attitudes among young urban women are beginning to close that gap.
7. India Generates 112,800 Tonnes of Sanitary Pad Waste Every Single Year
Let that number sit for a moment.
India generates approximately 112,800 tonnes of sanitary waste annually from an estimated 12 billion pads, creating environmental pressure that regulators and consumers are beginning to address. Mordor Intelligence
According to the Menstrual Hygiene Alliance India, assuming 36% of women or girls in India use sanitary napkins regularly with an average of 8 pads per month, 336 million menstruating women and girls will be using 1 billion sanitary napkins per month, or 12.3 billion sanitary napkins annually, generating a huge amount of non-biodegradable waste. Of this, 45% is disposed with routine waste, 23% is thrown away in drains, open spaces, or roadsides, and 25% is disposed of by burying. Jsafog
These pads are primarily plastic. They will outlast every person alive today in landfills and waterways.
One menstrual cup used for 10 years replaces roughly 2,400 disposable pads or tampons. Per person.
8. Tampon Absorption Has Never Been Tested With Actual Blood — Only Saline Water
This is the kind of fact that should be far more widely known.
The capacity of period products is not tested using menstrual blood. Saline has been used in its place for years. Research has found that saline and blood are two very different fluids, and both behave differently when it comes to tampon absorbency. These findings call for a re-examination of the diagnosis of menstrual health-related disorders. DIVA
This means that the "regular," "super," and "ultra" absorbency ratings printed on tampon packaging are based on saline — a fluid that behaves completely differently from actual menstrual blood. The capacity claims you've been reading for years are, essentially, inaccurate.
The menstrual cup sidesteps this problem entirely. It collects. It measures. It doesn't absorb at all — so there is no misleading capacity claim to question.
9. The Cup Was Rejected in the 1950s Because of Virginity Myths
The cup failed its first major commercial relaunch not for any medical reason. It failed because of social taboo.
The menstrual cup, although designed in the 1930s, was not always a popular period option. Advertising was difficult because periods were a taboo subject. The rubber cup was intimidating because people were not comfortable with cleaning it. Finally, the cup was not well received by those who erroneously believed that they would lose their virginity by using it. Pixie Cup
Virginity myths killed the menstrual cup's mainstream adoption for 50 years.
This matters in the Indian context too. Many women and girls are still told that using an internal device is "inappropriate" or "wrong." This is not biology. This is decades-old social conditioning — the same kind that delayed the cup in the West by half a century.
People who haven't had penetrative sex can absolutely use a menstrual cup. The vagina may feel narrower and the hymen might still be present, but these aren't barriers to cup use. Lunette
10. Blood Cannot Flow Backward Into the Uterus — Even Upside Down
A surprisingly common fear: what happens to the blood when you exercise, invert in yoga, or lie down?
Menstrual blood flows through the tiny opening in the cervix into the vagina, where it is collected by the cup. The uterus actively pushes blood out — gravity has nothing to do with it. Even if you're upside down, blood cannot flow back into the womb. Lunette
This means you can hold a downward dog, swim, run, or sleep through the night with a cup in place — and the physics work in your favour.
11. 73% of Women Who Try the Cup Want to Keep Using It
Despite the initial learning curve, the retention rate for menstrual cups is remarkable.
In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 studies involving 3,319 participants, 73% of participants wished to continue use of the menstrual cup at study completion. The adoption of the menstrual cup required a familiarisation phase over several menstrual cycles, and peer support improved uptake. nih
Three out of four people who try it, want to stay with it.
The barrier isn't the cup. The barrier is the first conversation — which is exactly why we keep writing these.
What This All Means For You
The menstrual cup has been quietly collecting research credentials, historical vindication, and scientific backing for nearly 90 years. It has outlasted wars, taboos, rubber shortages, and cultural gatekeeping.
And now it is here — in India, in 2026 — accessible, affordable, and backed by more evidence than any disposable pad can claim.
The Tessa Menstrual Cup is made from 100% medical-grade silicone, designed for Indian bodies, and built to last up to a decade. If any of what you just read has made you curious — that's where to start.
Because informed choices make better periods. And better periods make a better planet.
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